United Airlines aviation maintenance technicians and related support personnel demonstrate outside the company's annual shareholders' meeting at the Willis Tower on June 10, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois.
Getty Images/Scott Olson

United Airlines has come under fire after a video showing police officers dragging a Asian male passenger off a flight went viral on April 10. The 69-year-old passenger went to the hospital for his injuries to his face.

On April 11, Zishi Zhang, an 18-year-old college student in the UK, launched a petition that calls for a federal investigation of United Airlines' actions.

Less than 24 hours later, more than 100,000 people signed it, which means that the White House is required to issue a statement about the petition within 60 days.

"I started it, because I feel that it is wrong to treat a human being like this," Zhang tells Business Insider. "I want the company to apologize formally and genuinely, instead of using words such as the passenger was 'disruptive and belligerent.'"

The petition, which claims that United's actions were racial motivated, is trending on social media with the hashtag #ChineseLivesMatter.

"A passenger was forcefully removed from the plane because he refused to give up his seat. He was dragged off brutally and violently. Blood is visible on his face and body," the petition reads. "The passenger was shouting that he was chosen to leave the flight only because he is Chinese, according to the news report by the New York Times."

It is not confirmed whether the passenger is a Chinese national or even ethnically Chinese. There is speculation online that he is Chinese based on his appearance, as well as another passenger's claims that hedescribed himself as Chinese on the flight.

On April 10, a spokesperson for the US Department of Transportation told Business Insider that it is "reviewing" the incident.

"The Department of Transportation (USDOT) remains committed to protecting the rights of consumers and is reviewing the involuntary denied boarding of passenger(s) from United Express flight 3411 to determine whether the airline complied with the oversales rule," the agency said in a statement.

"Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate. We apologize for the overbook situation. Further details on the removed customer should be directed to authorities."

United CEO Oscar Munoz later apologized for the incident, though many people are still vowing to boycott the airline.